Trudeau a feminist? Prove it, Prime Minister

By Candice Malcolm

(This column originally appeared in the Toronto Sun)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada’s top feminist, once said the government should avoid using the term “barbaric” to describe cultural violence against women — including spousal abuse, female genital mutilation and so-called “honour killings”.

Back in 2011, as the Liberal immigration critic, Trudeau said using these terms was “pejorative,” overly “judgmental” and that the government should make an “attempt at responsible neutrality”.

Apparently, we shouldn’t offend people who beat their wives, mutilate young girls and kill female members of their family.

After significant blowback from Canadians, however, Trudeau apologized for his comments.

“All violence against women is barbaric. If my concerns about language led some to think otherwise, then I gladly apologize,” he said on social media.

But now that he’s prime minister, Trudeau can once again go back to promoting “neutrality” and denying that cultural violence is “barbaric”.

This week, we learned the Trudeau government is reportedly gutting Discover Canada — the citizenship guide given to all newcomers to study before taking the citizenship test.

The current guide tells newcomers, in no uncertain terms, that barbaric cultural practices are not tolerated in Canada.

But media reports suggest Trudeau’s new guide has removed all references to these practices.

Trudeau’s new guide, we’re told, goes even further in whitewashing what we tell new Canadians.

Instead of listing Canada’s proud military accomplishments — establishing our sovereignty in the War of 1812 and defending freedom and security during WWI and WWII — the guide now reportedly “devotes substantive sections to sad chapters in Canadian history,” including a series of apologies to groups wronged by Canadians.

It appears Trudeau’s new guide will basically tell newcomers respecting the human rights of others is optional.

These changes are more than just symbolic. Discover Canada helps newcomers understand our laws, our expectations and our way of life in Canada.

It’s an important aspect of the integration process, and helps to cement Canadian ideals of freedom, peace, justice, responsibility and equal rights.

The reality is that in many parts of the world — including places from which we accept immigrants and refugees — there is no fundamental respect for individual rights and freedoms.

Many newcomers to Canada come from places where barbaric cultural practices are a way of life.

We must acknowledge this fact, and be clear that practices like female genital mutilation have no place in Canadian society.

We must be unequivocal in protecting the rights and freedoms of girls and women in Canada, and dedicated to ensuring cultural violence is not imported into Canada through immigration.

Instead, Trudeau appears to be putting political correctness ahead of Canadian values and traditions, erasing our proud history and presenting an apologetic and watered-down version of Canada.

If we don’t respect our own country — if we don’t stand up for our values and our way of life — how can we expect newcomers to do the same?

Trudeau often proclaims that he’s a feminist. He told an international audience he plans to keep saying he’s a feminist until there’s no reaction.

But Trudeau’s virtue signaling means nothing if he’s unwilling to stand up for girls and women who are the victim of cultural violence in other countries, when they come to Canada.

Instead of repeating that he’s a feminist, Trudeau should repeat that men and women have equal rights and receive equal protection here in Canada.